Cop17 aims to restore land and hope in fight against desertification
Delegates will weigh a $12 billion drought package and push investors to back land restoration as desertification affects 40% of Earth’s land.
- The 17th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification opened on Monday in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, running through August 28 under the theme 'Restoring Land. Restoring Hope.'
- Desertification and land degradation affect 40 percent of Earth's land area, directly threatening 3.2 billion people and causing $880 billion in annual economic losses, with projections showing up to 95% of global land could degrade by 2050.
- French Development Agency official Sandra Rulliere stated, "Every dollar invested in restoring degraded land brings a return of between seven and 30 dollars," emphasizing that healthy soil strengthens food security and climate resilience.
- During the summit, 196 countries and the European Union will discuss the "operationalisation" of the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership, established at COP16 in 2024 to support 74 vulnerable countries combating drought and land degradation.
- Five recent signs of progress, including broader participation and convergence among the Rio Conventions, suggest the global land agenda has reached a turning point; success depends on whether governments and institutions can rapidly scale restoration efforts.
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The 17th UN Conference on Combating Desertification has just opened in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on Monday. France is in turn concerned as drought episodes are expected to multiply.
The project will present solutions to restore degraded land and preserve biodiversity.
Half the world's population lives under the threat of soil degradation. While Europe faces droughts, heat waves and unprecedented fires, nearly 200 countries meet in Mongolia to discuss a less visible environmental crisis, but with direct impact on water, food and the economy.
The Global Land Agenda’s Moment of Truth
As delegates gather this week in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, for the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, momentum is building toward a more ambitious global response to land degradation. In fact, there are five promising signs that this time could be different.
Prime Minister of the country calls for "concrete actions" to combat desertification, which already degrades 80% of Mongolian soil and 40% of the world's land. Head of the UNCC wants a "implementation" summit.
The COP17 on combating desertification opened on Monday in Mongolia. A meeting less known than its equivalents on climate and biodiversity. But it focuses on important issues, especially for France. - COP17 against desertification: why France is (also) concerned (Environment).
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